The Man Who Vetted Sarah Palin Looks Back on What He’s Learned
In an article in the “Wall Street Journal,” lawyer A.B. Culvahouse gives a slightly different account than what he gave to “The Washingtonian” last year.
A.B. Culvahouse, the lawyer who vetted Sarah Palin for John McCain‘s 2008 presidential campaign,
wrote this account–published Tuesday evening–for the Wall Street Journal about what he’s learned from vetting VP nominees. The Washingtonian ran a profile of
Culvahouse last year, digging into the O’Melveny & Myers
partner and Republican operative’s long Washington career. In his
WSJ piece, Culvahouse repeats his view that Palin was a “high
risk, high reward” pick for McCain. He explained more thoroughly
last year to The Washingtonian what he meant by that assessment:
. . . Culvahouse chooses his words carefully as he attempts to explain what he meant. His forehead creases as he stares down
at the marble table.
“Well, high reward . . . .” His voice trails off. The room is silent for eight long seconds. “I mentioned that her . . . .”
Five more seconds tick by.
Finally, Culvahouse offers: “She had an engaging personality.”
He continues: “We didn’t have to push her really hard.” He says she would say, “Here’s what you should really ask me is why
I went to so many schools.”
Culvahouse says, “I would start out trying to be gentle, and she would just go right there.”
Culvahouse says her “thoughtful” answers to his stock questions were another part of the “high reward” aspect of choosing
her, as was her public-service ethic and his sense that she would energize the Republican base.
Now he tries to address the other part of the question. “The high risk really was . . . .” Seven quiet seconds pass. Then:
“Her résumé was thin.”
Culvahouse writes in the Journal that he didn’t think Palin would be ready to be Vice President on January 20, 2009, but that he believed she had the “presence
and wherewithal to grow into the position.” This is slightly different from what he told The Washingtonian. He told us he advised McCain that he didn’t believe Palin would be ready to be President on January 20, but “she has the smarts to get there.” And he also said he told McCain that few vice presidential picks are
ever truly ready to be President.
The Man Who Vetted Sarah Palin Looks Back on What He’s Learned
In an article in the “Wall Street Journal,” lawyer A.B. Culvahouse gives a slightly different account than what he gave to “The Washingtonian” last year.
A.B. Culvahouse, the lawyer who vetted
Sarah Palin for
John McCain‘s 2008 presidential campaign,
wrote this account–published Tuesday evening–for the
Wall Street Journal about what he’s learned from vetting VP nominees.
The Washingtonian ran a profile of
Culvahouse last year, digging into the O’Melveny & Myers
partner and Republican operative’s long Washington career. In his
WSJ piece, Culvahouse repeats his view that Palin was a “high
risk, high reward” pick for McCain. He explained more thoroughly
last year to
The Washingtonian what he meant by that assessment:
. . . Culvahouse chooses his words carefully as he attempts to explain what he meant. His forehead creases as he stares down
at the marble table.
“Well, high reward . . . .” His voice trails off. The room is silent for eight long seconds. “I mentioned that her . . . .”
Five more seconds tick by.
Finally, Culvahouse offers: “She had an engaging personality.”
He continues: “We didn’t have to push her really hard.” He says she would say, “Here’s what you should really ask me is why
I went to so many schools.”
Culvahouse says, “I would start out trying to be gentle, and she would just go right there.”
Culvahouse says her “thoughtful” answers to his stock questions were another part of the “high reward” aspect of choosing
her, as was her public-service ethic and his sense that she would energize the Republican base.
Now he tries to address the other part of the question. “The high risk really was . . . .” Seven quiet seconds pass. Then:
“Her résumé was thin.”
Culvahouse writes in the
Journal that he didn’t think Palin would be ready to be Vice President on January 20, 2009, but that he believed she had the “presence
and wherewithal to grow into the position.” This is slightly different from what he told
The Washingtonian. He told us he advised McCain that he didn’t believe Palin would be ready to be
President on January 20, but “she has the smarts to get there.” And he also said he told McCain that few vice presidential picks are
ever truly ready to be President.
Marisa M. Kashino joined Washingtonian in 2009 and was a senior editor until 2022.
Most Popular in News & Politics
The Missing Men of Mount Pleasant
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
Want to Search Donald Trump’s Truth Social Posts? A New Site Is Here to Help.
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
“Mean Mugging” at Ward 8 Candidate Forum Leads to Arrest
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
More from News & Politics
I Tried to Train for American Ninja Warrior
Trump Wants to Rename Soccer, the Nationals Chose a Shortstop, and Virginians Are the US French-Fry-Eating Champions
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This July
The Washington Nationals Just Fired the Manager and GM Who Led Them to a Championship. Why Has the Team Been so Bad Since?
FBI Building Now on Track to Leave DC After All, Whistleblower Leaks Texts Suggesting Justice Department Planned to Blow Off Federal Court Orders, and NPS Cuts Leave Assateague Island Without Lifeguards
Families of DC Air Disaster Victims Criticize Army’s Response, Trump Settles His Scores Via Tariff, and Police Dog Kicked at Dulles Returns to Work
This DC-Area Lawyer Wants More Americans Betting on Elections
Trump Threatens DC Takeover, Says He’d Run the City “So Good”; Supreme Court OKs Mass Federal Worker Layoffs; and You Should Go Pick Some Sunflowers